The subject invention pertains to the art of shields and protective devices and, more particularly, to a protective cover for use on vehicle wheels to prevent entry of dirt and foreign matter through wheel openings into the brake assemblies associated with the wheels.
The invention is particularly intended for temporary application and use on newly manufactured automobiles to prevent entry of dirt and foreign matter during transportation and storage; however, as will become apparent, the invention is capable of broader application and could be used on the wheels of other vehicles and at other times.
Many current automotive wheels are designed with decorative through openings and cooling air openings which provide access through the wheels into the area of the associated disk brakes. As a consequence, during transportation and storage of the vehicles, dirt and foreign matter can enter into and build-up in the disk brake area. During normal operation of the vehicles such dirt build-up is not possible because the dirt is thrown from the wheels during rotation. However, during transportation and storage the vehicles are not being operated and the dirt is not thrown from the wheels. Sometimes it can build-up to an undesirable extent which can result in damage to the brakes when the vehicle is subsequently operated.
As a result of the above, there has been an ongoing need for some way of protecting vehicle wheels from the entry of dirt and debris during periods of extended storage and shipment. The subject invention meets this need and provides a protective wheel cover which can be quickly and easily installed at the completion of vehicle manufacture and which is capable of shielding the wheels against the entry of foreign matter for an extended period of time.